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City and housing society need to return to the negotiating table

Dear Mayor Heron, Council and the St. Albert Housing Society, Re: St. Albert Housing Society/ City of St. Albert Memorandum of Agreement It is with deep concern that we read in the St.

Dear Mayor Heron, council and the St. Albert Housing Society,

Re: St. Albert Housing Society/ City of St. Albert memorandum of agreement

It is with deep concern that we read in the March 2 St. Albert Gazette of the failure to reach an agreement on funding for the St. Albert Housing Society. Coun. Wes Brodhead states that “I think the issue is whether or not there’s common ground to move forward in terms of how the housing society is funded or not.”

We think “common ground” should be the low income/needy citizens of St. Albert who can only live in St. Albert if affordable rental housing is available. These citizens are not having their housing needs met by this council. These citizens provide a necessary component of the population of a diverse community such as St. Albert.

We do not know all of the background of this issue, but it appears that the housing society is willing to work on finding an agreement but the city is not interested. We do not understand why but perhaps it is the length of time the discussion has been going on.

The lack of interest by the City of St. Albert seems apparent in the deadline, postponing meetings, the failure to provide administrative staff with the latitude to propose alternatives and councillors who do not have time to review the changes proposed. Surely both sides can do better for those in the community who are vulnerable because they require basic affordable housing.

We know you realize that you, as a council, represent a diverse population which must include those who require social/affordable/subsidized housing. 

Often the poor/needy do not speak up  when their needs are not met, so we must advocate for them as part of our community as the problem has not been solved. They still need affordable housing.

Please consider returning to talks with the St. Albert Housing Society on a memorandum of agreement on funding affordable housing in St. Albert. Other communities have affordable housing as a priority and so should St. Albert.

Lynne and Lou Duigou, St. Albert

 

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